Land-roller.



No. 771,437. PATENTED OCT. 4, 1904;

W. P. MoGOBB.

LAND ROLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13 1904.

NO MODEL.

m'tzzcaaeJ. 1220612 t0)".

6 W yaw UNITED STATES Patented October 4, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. MOCOBB, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTHTO JOHN WHITTAKER, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS.

LAND-ROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 771,437, dated October4, 1904.

. Application 1118a May 13, 1904.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. MoCoBB, a citizen of the United States.residing in Dorchester, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Impro vement in Land-Rollers, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates to a land-roller, and has for its object toprovide a simple, inexpensive, and highly-efiicient roller for thepurpose specified.

In accordance with this invention the roller is provided witha pluralityof annular chambers or pathways, in each of Which is located a ball orsphere of a diameter substantially equal to the width of the annularchamber or pathway, whereby a maximum weight will be applied to theground or surface being rolled at the point of contact with said surfaceof the periphery of the annular chambers. The side walls of the annularchambers serve to keep the balls in place without interfering with theirrevolution, thereby enabling the roller to be used on inclined surfacesto the same advantage as it is used on level surfaces. These and otherfeatures of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the endof this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a land-roller embodying this invention;Fig. 2, a front elevation of the roller shown in Fig. 1 looking towardthe right, and Fig. 3 a vertical axial section of the rollershownin Fig.1 with the balls in elevation.

In the land-roller herein shown as embodying this invention threeannular chambers a, 7), and c are shown as formed within a cylinder (Zby annular inwardly-projecting flanges e. The cylinder d and the flanges0 may be made of sheet metal, such as steel, to cheapen the cost andreduce the weight of the roller.

The annular chambers a Z; c in accordance with this invention containballs or spheres f, each of a diameter substantially equal to the SerialNo. 207,796. (No model.)

width of the chambers and which may be made of cast-iron, lead, or otherheavy metal. Each ball f is free to revolve in its own annular pathwayor chamber and is restrained from extended movement in the direction ofthe axis of the roller by the flanges c, which form side walls for saidannular chambers, thereby preventing the balls f from running to one endof the roller when the latter is being used on an inclined surface. TheinwardlyeXtended flanges also insure even distribution of the weightthroughout the length of the roller, as the balls f are confined intheir annular chambers-by said flanges, which do not interfere with therevolution of said balls. The flanges need only be made of a depthsubstantially equal to the radius of the balls, which is suflicient tokeep the said balls in their chambers and which leaves a substantiallylarge central opening 9, through which the balls may be placed into andremoved from their chambers when desired. The roller may be providedwith a handle h, which may be pivotally attached to it in any suitablemanner and is shown as detachably connected by a pin 2' to a yoke j,which is connected by the pivots 76 to cross-bars or arms at, attachedto the end flanges of the cylinder.

In the present instance the annular chambers or pathways are shown asformed within a single cylinder d; but I do not desire to limit myinvention in this respect. The flanges c serve to strengthen thecylinder, and thereby enable said cylinder to be made of thin metal.

I claim 1. In a land-roller, in combination, a revoluble cylinderprovided withv inwardly-extended annular flanges forming enlargedcentral openings and separated to form annular chambers, whichcommunicate through said openings, and balls located in said annularchambers and of a diameter substantially equal to the width of saidchambers, substantially as described.

2. In a land-roller, in combination, a plurality of concentric revolublechambers, each In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name havlng' aclrcumferen tlal Wall and inwardly to this speclfication in the presenceof two subextended annular flanges, and a ball located scribingWitnesses.

in each of said annular chambers and of a di- WILLIAM P. MGCOBB. 5ameter substantially equal to the width of the Witnesses:

chamber in which said ball is located, sub- JAS. H. CHURCHILL,

J. MURPHY.

stantially as described.

